November 16, 2007

MEADVILLE, Penn. - The Bluffton University women's basketball team used a 20-8 run over a seven-minute stretch early in the second half to pull away from tournament host Allegheny College for a 70-56 victory on Friday, November 16, in the 2007-08 season opener. The Beavers move into the Allegheny College Tip-Off finals at 3 p.m. on Saturday following their victory over a Gator team that finished its 2006-07 campaign with a 19-8 mark.

With just under 18 minutes to play in the game, freshman Kim Miller (Delphos/St. John's) got to the rack for a 37-27 lead over Allegheny. A pair of hoops by senior post Lindsay Bush (Howard/East Knox) and a couple Angie Lee (Mt. Blanchard/Vanlue) triples sandwiched around another Bush basket helped the Beavers build their largest lead of the game, 53-33, at the 11:27 mark of the second half.

Amanda Bell's (Napoleon/Liberty Center) trifecta with 8:37 to play put the Beavers up 58-39 before the Bluffton offense hit a wall. Allegheny tightened up its defense and limited Bluffton to a single basket over the next five minutes, but the Gators failed to capitalize as the Beavers still led  by 13 points with three minutes to play.

Five Angie Lee points kept the Beavers in the driver's seat, 65-53, before Bluffton sealed the 70-56 victory by converting on 5-of-6 free throws during the final 1:22 of the contest.

Back-to-back Bluffton three-pointers by sophomore Vicki Auer (Cincinnati/Roger Bacon) and Amanda Bell made the score 16-12 in favor of the visitors just over six minutes into the game. Lee nailed consecutive shots and Katie Lord (Toledo/Whitmer) got to the hoop, giving the Beavers a 22-15 advantage midway through the first half.

A Bluffton lull offensively allowed Allegheny to trim the lead to one point, 24-23, at the 3:46 mark. Bush and sophomore Ginny Buckingham (Bluffton/Bluffton) hit layups and Auer sliced her way to the glass, giving the Beavers an eight-point cushion less than three minutes later. Miller freed herself in the paint with 18 seconds in the opening stanza for a 33-25 Bluffton lead at the break.

Lee lit up Allegheny for a game-high 25 points on 10-of-16 shots, including 3-for-6 from outside the arc. Bush also hit for double digits, finishing with 10 points and five rebounds. Bell and Miller chipped in with nine and eight points, respectively, while Auer and Buckingham, who ripped down five boards, added seven apiece. Bell buried 2-of-3 triples and pulled down six rebounds. Miller led the Beavers with seven boards and six assists in her first collegiate contest. Auer found her teammates for four dimes in the victory.

Bluffton was solid from the field, knocking down 28-of-56 shots for 50 percent. The Beavers buried 6-of-12 from long range and limited Allegheny to 1-of-14 on triples. From the charity stripe, Bluffton went 8-of-10 for the game. Bluffton dished out 18 assists, compared to 11 for Allegheny, and turned the ball over 18 times, the same as the home team.

The Beavers will now play in the finals of the tournament against the winner of Marietta and Grove City at 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 17, 2007.

-BEAVERS-